The Past Life
by Piper Halliwell1
Summary: A demon tries to kill Piper, because she reminds him of someone from his past.
1. The Sisters Divided

Disclaimer: I don't own Charmed or any of the characters. All other characters owned by me.  
  
The Past Life  
  
Preface- Now the oldest, Piper tried to bring back Prue to no avail. While trying to call for Prue, she inadvertently called for another witch, who would have reconstituted The Charmed Ones. This witch was their long lost half sister, Paige. Together, the new Charmed Ones vanquished Shax for Prue.  
  
Piper hated Phoebe for choosing Cole the day that Prue died. The youngest of the Halliwell's always seemed to choose Cole over her family.her legacy. At the time, it didn't seem to bother Phoebe. She took for granted that they'd always be there, when she needed them.  
  
After everything happened, Paige moved in to the manor to be closer to her newly discovered family. Piper still had P3, which she'd focused all her time on, so she'd never have to deal with her sister Phoebe. Leo had barely been around, but did come by from time to time, because Piper chose not to reconstitute the Charmed Ones. Phoebe, on the other hand, had been so distraught over Prue's death. She locked herself in her room everyday, until Piper went to P3. Phoebe blames herself for the death of her sister. If she'd only had been there a second or two before, Prue would have been alive today, but then, they'd never know about Paige. She was the only bright spot in this fledgling family. It was a catch 22 for Phoebe. She just didn't know which one would have made her life better.  
  
***  
  
Chapter 1-  
  
Phoebe believed everything was quiet, so she thought she'd go down stairs for awhile. She was starving. She hadn't eating dinner the night before. As Phoebe was heading down the steps, she saw Piper coming in, it was too late, and Piper spotted her.  
  
"What the hell are you doing?" Piper asked coldly.  
  
"I'm sorry, Piper. I'm going back upstairs," Phoebe says not wanting any type of confrontation, but she could tell, Piper was ready for a fight.  
  
"God, Phoebe, you never learn, do you?" Piper asked again, physically upset. "I don't need to deal with you today, or ever. I don't even want you here anyway. I'm only keeping you here because Prue would have wanted it, and for some odd reason Paige wants you here."  
  
Piper had a bad day at P3. The latest shipment was all broken. Money down the drain for P3, and she wasn't ready to tell Phoebe! She, hurt by the harsh words spoke by Piper, Phoebe turned on her heels, and headed back to her room. She shut the door and it locked it.  
  
"I'm so sorry. You'll never truly know how sorry I am," She said as the tears began to weld up in her eyes.  
  
Phoebe walked over to her bed sullenly. As soon as she sat down on the bed, she let tears flow. She couldn't stop, until she looked over at her nightstand. Phoebe picked a picture up of her and Cole. She clutched it to her chest, remembing the good times they shared.  
  
"Oh Cole. You'd still be alive, if I'd let you go, Piper would have never retailed against you to get back at me. I'm sorry."  
  
***** Piper leaned against the banister, thinking of the day that Prue was lost, as well as the innocent. The reality of it hit her hard; Phoebe was to blame she thought.  
  
"Dammit Phoebe. It's all your fault."  
  
Tears sparng from her eyes. The tears always came after she had to deal with Phoebe, cause then she started thinking about Prue.  
  
"I just wish she'd been the one to die. We'd still have Paige."  
  
A voice echoed through the room, "You don't mean that Piper."  
  
"The hell I don't," Piper spat back at a materializing Leo. "Don't I mean it? When it counted most, where the hell was Phoebe? Huh.saving Coles sorry ass. She always thought she could change him."  
  
"Piper, come on, she's your sister."  
  
"No, Prue and Paige are my sisters."  
  
Leo sat next to his wife, who had been sitting on the steps, trying to sooth her.  
  
"I know it's hard. I lost her too, Piper," Leo said trying to make the situation better. "I loved her too, but I also love Phoebe too. I don't blame her at all."  
  
"I'm tired of hearing this. Phoebe killed Prue.end of story."  
  
"You can't mean that!"  
  
"I don't want her here. I just keep her around because of Paige, and it was what Prue would have wanted."  
  
Leo stood up frustrated with his wife. He didn't know any other way to help her. It was now up to her.  
  
"If Prue could see you know, she'd wouldn't be happy with your current attitude."  
  
"To damn bad, Leo!"  
  
"Just.Just.GET OVER IT," He stammered frustrated, then quickly orbed out.  
  
"Who need you anyway," Piper yelled out.  
  
"We do," Paige says shutting the door. "It's time you let this go and forgive OUR sister."  
  
Piper scrunched up her face and sighed deeply.  
  
"Look, I got my issues with being abandoned at birth, and of filling big shows, but I get through it. How is it you can't move on? I don't blame her, and neither should you."  
  
"Paige, I don't need your insight. You weren't there when I almost lost my life and Prue died. Phoebe was with Cole. End of story!"  
  
"I do know the story. I lost her too. I wish everyday she survived. I want to meet her everyday, but I know I can't. So just GET OVER IT!"  
  
Piper rolled her eyes at her sister. She was tried of everyone telling her that she needed to get over it. That was something she wasn't ever going to be ready for. Piper decided to go to the kitchen, to get away for the conversation.  
  
"Look, all I'm saying is you don't need to do this to Phoebe," Paige tried getting across to Piper, but she just ignored her. "Cause she's beating herself. up."  
  
By the time Paige was finished, Piper was already in the kitchen.  
  
"I just don't know how I'll ever get through to her."  
  
**** Prue watched over as her family was falling apart. She knew some thing had to be done, but what, she had no clue.  
  
"Please let it go Piper, It was a mistake. Phoebe was only doing what she thought was right.There's got to be away to bright them together."  
  
Patty and Grams appeared behind Prue.  
  
"Honey," Patty placed a hand on her daughters shoulder. "It'll be ok."  
  
Patty knew something, but wasn't able to say anything. She knew that Prue would try something drastic.Like go back to earth if she could.  
  
"Piper will come around," Grams stated firmly in a grandmotherly way.  
  
"I hope so."  
  
****  
  
Phoebe cried herself asleep. She so wanted Piper's forgiveness, but she knew that Piper would forgive when she was ready.If she ever was.  
  
Later that evening, there were signs of demonic activity at the manor, but Piper ignored it, and went back to deal with her issues of the day at P3. Paige wanted to consult with Phoebe, but she wasn't up to researching any thing.  
  
"Phoebe, come on. Open the damn door," Paige protested.  
  
"Go away!"  
  
"No!"  
  
Paige decided to orb inside, because Phoebe was so stubborn, she'd never answer the door. Even in practice, she wasn't sure she'd make it fully in the room. She had to try.  
  
"Come, concentrate," she encouraged herself.  
  
She concentrated on Phoebe's room, and then orbed on the other side of the door with no problem.  
  
"I did it," Paige said excitedly.  
  
"Paige!"  
  
"Sorry, but we need to talk."  
  
"STOP!"  
  
"Why should I? Piper won't listen to me."  
  
"That's it, just leave!" Phoebe demanded.  
  
Paige came towards Phoebe, who had been sitting on her bed. "Get your ass out of that bed, and gets dressed. We're getting this family back together."  
  
Wow, she's a lot like Prue, Paige thought.  
  
"Are you sure you're not Prue incarnate?" Cause you sure are a like her," Phoebe asked lightheartedly.  
  
Paige smiled at Phoebe, "I see you haven't lost your sense of humor."  
  
"No, I guess not.What is it you found?"  
  
"Nothing specific, just a feeling I have. I'm sure that there's something. There always is."  
  
"A feeling? Like an instinct?"  
  
"It's like Leo, he can sense good. I guess I can sense evil."  
  
"Well, we can't really go on a feeling. Prue was a lot like that. She'd have those similar feelings, and go with it," Phoebe said as she began to cry.  
  
"Oh, don't cry, Phoebe. It's good to talk about it, but never cry. Prue would want you to be happy."  
  
Phoebe was ready to move on. To be forgiven. She was happy that Paige hasn't hated her for ruining her life.  
  
"I know that look, and I know what you're feeling.You didn't ruin my life, and I do forgive you."  
  
"How'd you know?"  
  
"We're sisters, and I love you."  
  
"I love you too," as the two women hugged.  
  
The hug was quickly broken.  
  
"Was there anything else about your feeling?"  
  
"Just that evil has been near or in the manor.Sometimes I got the feeling that someone was watching me. Did you get that?"  
  
"Sometimes, but I shrugged it off.Boy, I'm gonna be a little rusty at doing the whole craft. Haven't practiced in a long while..Jeez, when was the last time I got a premonition?"  
  
"Hmm, maybe that's because they haven't been sending them??? We better get started. Maybe you'll have one." 


	2. The Reinstatement

Chapter 2  
  
Piper was behind the bar at P3, tending bar. Her instincts were telling her something bad was about to happen. She quickly turned around and a demon was standing there, with an innocent that the demon held by knife point. People stopped, the music stopped in horror. Piper knew this was going be tricky, since she hadn't done the whole magic thing since Prue died. She didn't know if she could.  
  
She kept thinking FREEZE! Trying to psych herself into freezing the room. Piper lifted her hands slightly as to not draw attention to herself. She closed her eyes, as she froze the room. Piper opened her eyes.  
  
"I did it."  
  
She quickly unfroze the woman.  
  
"Wh-wh-what happened?" She asked confused and scared.  
  
"Just go. Don't ask me questions."  
  
The young woman ran out of P3. Piper thought about blowing this sucker up. She raised her hands again to do so, but the demon broke from her freeze and saw what she was about to do. He quickly blasted her back, and she fell to the floor, and he vanished. Piper through her hands up in frustration, and then realized her butt was sore.  
  
"Ow," she said rubbing her bottom. "Dammit!"  
  
The room soon unfroze, with the people at the bar staring at her on the floor. One of the bartenders helped Piper up.  
  
"What the hell happened? Where we robbed? How'd the guy get out?" The bartender asked too many questions for Piper to think about.  
  
"I'm not sure."  
  
Should I phone the police?"  
  
"No, I don't think anything was taken...Nothing to worry about people. Go back to what you were doing."  
  
The music started up again, people began dancing once again. The people at the bar began talking again, as if nothing happened. Piper grabbed her purse and jacket, told her manager she had to go home.  
  
"If you need anything, call me at home or on my cell."  
  
***  
  
Piper pulled up in front of the manor, determined to get that demon out of her life. She had noticed the lights were on in the attic. She quickly ran into the house and up the stairs to the attic. Paige and Phoebe were looking in the book of shadows. They didn't know what they were after, but thought Phoebe would get a premonition.  
  
"Good you're up here," Piper announced as she entered into the attic.  
  
Phoebe and Paige looked up as Piper was coming towards them. She stopped in front of the stand.  
  
"This doesn't change things, Phoebe," Piper said firmly. "A demon attacked an innocent and me at P3."  
  
"Are you ok?" Phoebe asked concerned.  
  
"Fine," Piper told her. "What are you doing up in the attic?"  
  
"I've been feeling like something isn't quite right.Like something evil has been in the manor watching us. I can't explain it. It's just a feeling that I get.I was hoping that if we look through the book, maybe by chance, Phoebe would get a premonition," Paige explained to Piper.  
  
Pipers walked around the book of shadows, and begin flipping through the pages of the book. The triquatra came together and glowed bright red. It was a sign that the girls would be together. The girls hadn't even noticed. Piper then came to the page with the demon she encountered earlier.  
  
"Looks like it'll be an easy vanquish, if we could catch him," Piper said annoyed.  
  
"Why? What do you mean?" Paige asked.  
  
"He has the power of speed," Phoebe read aloud.  
  
"We'll have to figure out a way to slow him down," Paige thought scratching her head.  
  
"It doesn't explain why I was able to freeze him," Piper asked rhetorically.  
  
"Maybe he just wanted to see what you could do, after all this time," Paige suggested.  
  
"I agree," Phoebe chimed in. "How do we stop him? Slow him down enough to use a potion or a vanquishing spell?"  
  
"That's all we can do. That's all we know," Piper said to Phoebe.  
  
"Would your freezing work? Paige asked Piper.  
  
"I don't know. He could have adapted to your powers and could anticipate when I'd freeze."  
  
"Let's get to work the, "Paige said encouragingly.  
  
Phoebe and Piper began to feel like it was old times; working on vanquishing a demon, but neither one would let the other know that.  
  
*** "What made Piper decide to work with Phoebe and Paige?" Prue asked of her mother and grandmother.  
  
"It's possible she missed working to save the innocents and vanquishing the demons," Patty suggested.  
  
"I'm just glad that she's speaking to Phoebe," Grams believed.  
  
"I wish that I could just let Piper and Phoebe know that I don't blame anyone, and they shouldn't be blaming each other. It was my time to go. I learned that on the day death showed me what was to come, I couldn't fight it. It had to happen."  
  
"Eventually they'll see it that way," Patty said in hopes that she was right.  
  
"Eventually, dear," Grams says comforting Prue.  
  
*** Piper read more about this demon, while Phoebe and Paige worked on a spell to slow him down.  
  
"Carmichael was once a low level sorcerer, but his love double crossed him. She worked with a demon named Marcus, thus making Carmichael his slave. Marcus had taken away Carmichael's powers, weakening him severely, each day, he was locked away.  
  
On the very last say of captivity, Carmichael managed to save up what little power he had, and broke out of the cell, killed Marcus, and his lady love. Vowing that he'd kill her in every life there after, whether she was evil or not. He even went as far as to kill the people that she had been with, innocent or not," Piper read. "No witch has been able to vanquish him. Speed is one of many powers he's acquired over the years from demons, witches and warlocks. See Next Paige for Pictures of Marcus and Carmichaels lady love, who happened to be a witch."  
  
Piper turned the page, and when she did, she couldn't believe her eyes.  
  
"No, that can't be," Piper said stunned.  
  
"What is it, Piper?" Paige asked concerned.  
  
She motioned for her sisters to come over to her.  
  
"Oh my," Paige said shocked.  
  
"That looks like you, Piper," Phoebe said shocked as well.  
  
"LEO, GET YOUR WHITELIGHTER ASS DOWN HERE," Piper yelled.  
  
Leo orbed into the attic, looking a bit upset that she called him that way. He hated when she did that, but he had been used to it by now.  
  
"What do you want," He asked fully materialized.  
  
"You once told me you knew about my past lives, correct?"  
  
"Yes, that's correct," Leo says wondering what she was getting at. "What are you getting at?"  
  
"Did you know about this?" Piper asked pointing at the page.  
  
Leo walked over the book, and looked at the Piper like drawing. The hair was much longer though. He didn't want to say anything, he couldn't anyway, and she was longer his charge. Leo didn't know how they were still able to call him from time to time. Maybe because he always listed for them to call him when he was needed.  
  
"I can't tell you anything. I'm no longer your whitelighter."  
  
"Don't me that crap. You go up there tell them.No demand that you be reinstated as our whitelighter right now. As far as I'm concerned, The Charmed Ones are going to need their whitelighter."  
  
Leo was shocked. Not to mention Phoebe and Paige. He waited so long to hear those words; The Charmed Ones are back together. He wondered if she wanted him back to, but wouldn't push it if she wasn't read.  
  
"Ok, I'll see what I can do, but I can't guarantee anything."  
  
"I know. I understand. Just tell them we really need their guidance on Carmichael. He almost attacked an innocent and I at the club. Not to mention this happened in front of people. If the book is right, he could kill anyone at any time."  
  
"Ok," Leo said orbing out.  
  
"Hurry up," she protested.  
  
"We're really going to have a whitelighter again? Phoebe asked.  
  
"Yep!"  
  
Paige read the bottom of the picture.  
  
"Oh her name is Marguerite," Paige said.  
  
"Why does that name sound familiar," Phoebe asked.  
  
"You're right it does," Piper agreed.  
  
"I'll be damned; I don't know where I heard it," Phoebe said in confusion.  
  
A few minutes later, Leo orbed back.  
  
"I'm reinstated. It's only for a trial basis. Just to make sure you stick together."  
  
"What about the demon?" Piper wondered.  
  
"It seems that the elders don't know," He responded.  
  
"What?" Piper says in frustration.  
  
"They don't know when it took place?" Paige asked.  
  
Why is it in the book if they elders don't know anything," Phoebe asked her brother-in-law.  
  
"I don't know. They can't explain it," Leo says vaguely. Piper could always tell when Leo was lying or holding something back. This was one of those times. She looked at him sternly. He knew something was up as he avoided her gaze.  
  
"Leo, you're not telling us everything," Piper says still looking at Leo.  
  
"No, I swear, I don't know."  
  
"We'll see," She froze Leo.  
  
"What'd you do that for?" Paige asked of Piper.  
  
"Leo's lying.He knows something."  
  
"How do you know?" Paige asked as she looked at Leo.  
  
"He's my husband.Besides when he lies, he doesn't look me in the eyes," Piper says playfully feeling a lot better.  
  
She really felt that the old feeling was coming. Not that she'd forgiven Phoebe yet, but it was good to work with her sisters again. Paige and Phoebe squinted to see Leo, as he began to unfreeze.  
  
"Wh-what," Leo asked confused. "What happened?"  
  
"Piper froze ya," Paige smiled jokingly.  
  
Leo's faced frowned.  
  
"Yeah, she froze ya."  
  
"Piper, you can't freeze me like that."  
  
"I know you're hiding something," Piper said ingoing her husband, who still didn't look her in the eyes.  
  
"Oh yeah, I can see it," Paige and Phoebe said in unison. 


	3. Family Ties

Chapter 3  
  
Prue didn't know what to think. She didn't know much about their past lives. They had only been shown the one, while protecting Phoebe from her evil self.  
  
"Mom, what are they going to do?" Prue asks her mom, wanting to go down there and help her sisters.  
  
"Darling, I don't know," Patty said but knowing it wasn't reassuring to Prue.  
  
"How are they going to help her?" Prue ask as she was worrying about Piper.  
  
Patty and Grams want to help out, but knew it was something that The New Charmed Ones had to figure out for themselves. Prue, on the other hand, wanted to be there to help them. If there was something that she could do, she would do it.  
  
"Prue, honey, we can't. They are the Charmed Ones now. They'll figure it out," Grams says to Prue, hoping Prue wouldn't be asking about the past lives.  
  
Grams knew about their past lives, but wasn't able to divulge the information. Being the grandmother and the mother of the charmed ones, they were able to have a look at their past lives. Prue declined because she only wanted to live one life, and that she couldn't do.  
  
"I just want to help, that's all.I hate just sitting here not being able to help," Prue told Patty and Grams.  
  
*** Phoebe and Paige had gone to the kitchen to make up the many potions that they may need to use. No knew this demons powers or even how they worked. Or even the powers that he had.  
  
Piper was still up in the attic, looking through all the old family heirlooms, hopping, maybe she'd get lucky and a little history on her past life.  
  
After awhile she came a crossed a Halliwell Family Tree, and thought why haven't I see this?? She pulled it out, and unrolled it. It had dated way back to the 1200's. Piper read all the names and dates on it, until she came to Marguerite Halliwell, born 1545 and died 1670.  
  
"Marguerite.from the book of shadows."  
  
Piper set the family tree down, and began looking through the stuff again. She came a cross a painting of a young woman, that resembled her slightly. The young woman wore a purple dress with her hair up in a bun. She read the little plaque at the bottom of the page Marguerite Halliwell.  
  
"Wonder why we never learned much about the Halliwell line?? We always heard about the Warren line.Probably because it wasn't important enough to them at that time."  
  
She picked the painting up and brought it over to the book, just to make sure it's the right person she's looking for.  
  
"It is her. I mean it's me," Piper realized.  
  
Piper sat the painting against the chair that was nearby. It was hard to take in, but then she remembered when Phoebe's past life took over. It was a horrible mess. Piper didn't want that, but then again she thought of bringing her past life to them. Maybe she had the power to kill this demon.  
  
She decided to go down stairs to let her sisters in on her plan. By the time she came into the kitchen, her sisters had finished with the potions.  
  
"Hey, Piper," Paige greeted her sister.  
  
"Got an idea I need to run by you. It's a little dangerous, but it might just work," Paige said hoping they wouldn't veto it.  
  
"Shoot," Paige told her.  
  
Phoebe listed intently as she was pouring the potions into the little bottles, but had a feeling that she wasn't going to like it.  
  
"I wanna bring forth the past life.bring her out, if it's possible," Piper told her idea.  
  
"NO," Phoebe blurted out "You know what that did to me! I don't want that to happen to you!"  
  
"This isn't your call," Piper shot back coldly.  
  
"Phoebe's right, it's too risky," Paige agreed with phoebe.  
  
"I'm gonna do this with or without your help," Piper said turning on her heel, leaving the kitchen.  
  
"Piper please," Phoebe tried reasoning, but Piper ignored her and continued on.  
  
*** An hour later, Phoebe and Paige had cleaned up the kitchen, and Piper was in the attic trying to write a spell, but she hadn't had any luck. Maybe it was for the best, she thought, in frustration. Her sisters walked into the attic with potions in hand.  
  
"Piper, I think you're asking for trouble by bringing her out," Paige believed.  
  
"Do you even remember what happened to me?" Phoebe asked worriedly. "Do you remember what it did to me?"  
  
"Point taken. It's the only way if we want to survive," Piper told Phoebe, not seeking approval.  
  
"If you're hell-bent on this, why couldn't we summon her?" Paige asked her sisters.  
  
"We've never tried calling on a past life," Phoebe says heading over to The Book of Shadows.  
  
She began flipping through the pages until she come a crossed To Call upon a Lost Spirit.  
  
"We could try it, and if it doesn't work, we could rewrite the spell to work for a past life," Phoebe says reading the spell over.  
  
Phoebe brought the book to the table, as Piper and Paige added the ingredients in the bowl and began grinding it together as they were chanting: a pinch of rosemary, a sprig of cypress, and yarrow root.  
  
"Powers of the Witches Rise Course unseen across the skies Come to us who call you near Come to us and settle here."  
  
Nothing but the wind blew throughout the attic. They tried a few more times, and still nothing happened.  
  
"Why isn't it working?" Paige asked confused.  
  
"Let's try summoning a spirit," Piper suggest turning the pages.  
  
Phoebe grabbed the candles and set them in a circle in the middle of the attic. Walk by over to Piper and Paige.  
  
"Here these words, here my cry Come to me, I summon thee Cross now the great divide."  
  
The wind picks up; the girls look around, hoping that they would see this woman in the circle. White orbs appear in the circle, and a young woman appears, and suddenly becomes corporeal. Something that the girls hadn't expected.  
  
She looks around, not realizing why she'd been called upon or even why she was brought to this place.  
  
"Wh-wh-what am I doing in this place," the young dark haired woman asked. "Why am I in this place?"  
  
"We'll ask the questions here," Paige told the woman." And this is for our protection."  
  
"CRYSTALS, CIRCLE," Paige called out.  
  
"Look here, I demand to know what's going on?" She asked again. "I demand to be let out of this contraption."  
  
"We summoned you. Our sister is in danger, because of Carmichael. He believes that she is you," Paige says coldly.  
  
"Oh goodness," she signed.  
  
The girls couldn't figure out why she different that they expected. For sure, they thought, she was going to try something to get out of this.  
  
"Carmichael?" She says his name.  
  
"Bingo," Paige says sarcastically.  
  
"Oh! OH.I guess he would be. He believes that I double crossed him, but I never did. A demon, named Marcus held me captive and I had no choice."  
  
"How do we know you're telling us the truth," Phoebe asked of the woman.  
  
"You don't. Just, please trust me."  
  
"Why does the book say she betrayed Carmichael?" Phoebe asked confused.  
  
"I guess nobody knew?" The young lady said. "I was held captive until Carmichael.! Marcus made me do evil things but that didn't make me evil! I didn't like what I did!"  
  
Piper didn't say a word. She was stunned at the woman that looked just like her in her home. This woman was her past life. She never thought they'd be able to communicate with their past life like this. Piper stayed out of the way of every, until she had enough courage to come forth. She was scared.  
  
Leo orbed in not expecting to see two Pipers. He didn't know exactly what to say. He never heard of any of his charges or the other charges making this big of a move.  
  
"What's going on," He asked confused.  
  
"I'd like to know that myself?" the young woman asked.  
  
"What's your name?" Leo asked of her.  
  
"My name is Marguerite Halliwell," she said proudly. "Who are you people?"  
  
"Nice to meet you too," Piper says weakly stepping forward. "I'm Piper. This is my husband Leo, and my sisters Phoebe and Paige."  
  
As Piper was introducing her family, Marguerite was stunned. She couldn't believe the resemblance between herself and Piper. Marguerite was properly dressed from her time. Long blue dress and her hair were put up in a bun. A style from that time period, but these were had been dressed in their time period. Piper's long hair was pulled back on the sides, and she was wearing blue sleeveless v neck top with black pants. Where as, Phoebe was wearing something strange, Marguerite thought. She didn't know where to begin to. Paige was unusually dressed, but it wasn't as bad as Phoebe's. She wore a peach silk top that lay on one shoulder and off the other, with black pants that flared out at the leg. Piper was the only one of the sisters that had any sense to dress, Marguerite thought holding back a laugh.  
  
"If you're a Halliwell, how is it, we've never heard of you?" Phoebe asked breaking Marguerite's train of thought.  
  
"Oh.Because I was a witch, and I died so young, I guess," She said. "And the fact that they thought I was evil probably contributed to their thoughts of thee."  
  
"I've never heard of there being a witch on The Halliwell side of the family," Piper says holding back what she knows.  
  
"Is that true, Leo," Paige asked. "Yes, but she wasn't a powerful witch like yourselves, she didn't have powers."  
  
"I did have some power, but that was from Marcus. He gave them to me," as Marguerite began. "I lost them when I died."  
  
"We're you aware that Marcus also double crossed you, too?" Piper asked more confidently.  
  
Marguerite was in disbelief. She couldn't understand that Marcus was so evil, that he'd do something horrible like that to even her.  
  
"What pray tell do you mean?"  
  
"Marcus also locked up Carmichael," Paige says matter-of-factly.  
  
"No, that can't be true!"  
  
"That's what the book says, and Carmichael came after me today," Piper said to Marguerite reliving the day's event.  
  
"Oh my," Marguerite placed her hands to her mouth at hearing the shocking news.  
  
Piper moved the crystals away, allowing Marguerite to move about freely. Her sisters and Leo didn't think it was such a wise idea, but trusted Piper's instincts.  
  
"We need another plan," Paige announced. "When he finds out about her, he's gonna be pissed."  
  
"That's it," Piper blurted out. "We'll use her as bate."  
  
"Hmm, that might just work," Phoebe agreed.  
  
Marguerite was confused, but knew that she had to trust these people; after all, they brought her here.  
  
*** Carmichael had been living in the house across the street, watching the manor for some time. He had purchased the house from The Johnson's the year prior to that.  
  
He wanted to wait for the right time to kill Piper. He thought that the girls would be easy pickings, especially Piper. Carmichael had no idea who these young women were. He had no idea that they were The Charmed Ones.  
  
During the night, he'd been watching the manor, but soon he realized there was something different. He couldn't place it, but he knew he had to make his move soon, or they'd figure out who he was, and possible kill him. 


	4. Charmed Again

Chapter 4  
  
Leo orbed up to the elders, to see if anything new came up. Paige and Phoebe had been writing out spells incase the potions didn't work for them. Piper and Marguerite were talking about the day she died.  
  
"He was really all that powerful before that. He was just learning to be a sorcerer. If he'd practiced more, he'd been pretty powerful.The day I died, he had been unusually powerful. Almost like he had stolen the power from Marcus."  
  
"Did anything else happen? Like did he say anything to you?"  
  
"I don't know.It's all so fuzzy.Oh wait, there is something.He did say something. I didn't quite understand it."  
  
"What was it?"  
  
Marguerite thought about it for a few minutes before she answered Piper's question.  
  
"The power, give thee the power, Thy need Marcus' power, Give Thee Marcus' power."  
  
Piper realized it was Latin. Her Latin was a little off. Prue was the one who had been good at it.  
  
"We'll need to translate that," Piper says as she looked at her watch. "It's getting late. It's after 10. That day has gone by fast."  
  
"We need to remove his powers," Phoebe says still working on the spell. "I remember POWER from when I knew everything."  
  
"I'll work on it," Paige chimed in.  
  
Marguerite was a little stunned by the watch, more so than Phoebe knowing everything. She'd never seen such a gadget. Piper noticed what Marguerite was staring at.  
  
"Oh, this," She held up her arm. "This is a watch."  
  
"I never realized that watches would become that small. I remember pocket watches were the rage in my time."  
  
"There's a lot that's happened, that you don't know about," Piper said sarcastically. ***  
  
Carmichael shimmered into the foyer in the manor, a power he stole from a Belthazor look-a-like.  
  
"I'm sure glad I picked up that power," He says to himself as Phoebe and Paige were coming down the stairs.  
  
He quickly blended into the wall like a chameleon. The girls never realized anyone else was in the house. They continued to the kitchen. A few minutes later, the sisters headed back up stairs. Paige stopped for a moment. She sensed something was wrong. Like someone was watching them.  
  
"What's the matter?" Phoebe asked as she stopped.  
  
Paige shook her head and nudged Phoebe along.  
  
"Nothing, thought I forgotten something."  
  
"I think we grabbed what we needed," Phoebe says heading back up the stairs, as Paige followed, still looking around.  
  
As soon as the girls were out of the way, Carmichael emerged as himself.  
  
"Wow that was close."  
  
*** As Phoebe and Paige arrived in the attic, she announced that she believed Carmichael was in the house. Piper and Marguerite stood up quickly, not expecting things to end like this.  
  
"Piper, we're going to have to send her back, or cloak her somehow. It's up to you.what do you want to do?" Phoebe asked in a hurrying way.  
  
"We don't have time," Paige announced. "He's coming."  
  
"Use the crystals to contain him," Marguerite said. "It'll contain him for a few minutes. Long enough for you to disable him, and vanquish him."  
  
"Let's do it," Piper ordered. "All right hide!"  
  
Paige and Phoebe hid behind a dresser. Piper and Marguerite hid behind the couch. Carmichael shimmered in. He wasn't expecting to see his love, and her latest incarnation in the same room. She stepped out from behind the couch, Piper tried pulling at her.  
  
"I need to do this. It's the only way."  
  
Shocked at the site of Marguerite, he played it cool.  
  
"It's good to see you Marguerite. I wasn't expecting you. Now I have the pleasure of killing you and Piper both."  
  
"Now," Piper and Marguerite demanded.  
  
"CRYSTALS, CIRCLE." Paige called out.  
  
The stone materialized all around Carmichael. He had been stopped in his tracks. The Charmed Ones had one upped him, and he couldn't figure out how he could beat them.  
  
The girls stepped out of their hiding spots and began chanting.  
  
"Here now the words of witches The greatest magic is sought Take the power of this wizard away Give the power to Marguerite."  
  
"You think that Spell will work on me? Carmichael sneered.  
  
Nothing happened. Carmichael was more powerful, than any demon they've fought before.  
  
"Maybe not, but." Marguerite stepped forward.  
  
"What are you doing?" Piper asked frantically.  
  
"Piper, I know what I have to do," Marguerite says hopefully.  
  
"The power, give thee the power, Thy need Carmichael's powers, Give thee Carmichael's powers," she chanted.  
  
The attic went dark a few minutes later Marguerite raised her hand, and there was light again. She was glowing. She was more powerful than she had ever been. Carmichael lifted his hand, but nothing happened.  
  
"What'd you do to me?" He asked.  
  
"I have your powers now," Marguerite sneered.  
  
"What?" The Charmed Ones said in unison.  
  
Marguerite stood in front of the man who was once her lover.  
  
"I hate you...more than you can ever realize.I was killed because you believed in something that was not true.  
  
"But.But," he stammered.  
  
"Marcus used us both. He made me do evil things. It became easy after awhile, but I never enjoyed it. I never wanted it. All I wanted was to be with you. I loved you. Perhaps, maybe I still do, but you must die, in order for you to live once again good.To let go of your grief and most importantly your grudge. Maybe then, we can be together."  
  
A tear ran down his face. Marguerite smiled weakly, raised her hands, a glow of light emanated from her hands. It shot towards Carmichael, he embraced it. The light shot in and out of him, but he never once cried out in pain. Before he finally disappeared, he called out, "I love you. I'm so very sorry."  
  
Marguerite collapsed to the floor crying. The power had disappeared from her. She never felt it leave. The Charmed Ones rushed to her side.  
  
"I'm sorry," was all Piper could muster.  
  
Her past self looked up at her and smiled weakly.  
  
"It's fro the best," she said rising to her feet. "I think its' time for me to go."  
  
"Stay for a little while," Phoebe said.  
  
"This isn't my time. I must go. I'll always be here, within each of you."  
  
"She's right, Phoebe," as Piper agreed. "As much as I'd like for her to stay, she can't."  
  
Leo orbed in just as they were getting ready to send Marguerite back.  
  
"Sorry. I'm late. The elders wouldn't let me leave. Did I miss something?"  
  
"Everything," Piper snapped.  
  
"The reason I was late, was to set things right with the elders," Leo says. "Everything is as it should have been."  
  
"What is that mean?" Paige asked.  
  
"Check for yourself," Leo said coyly.  
  
The book glowed brightly once again behind the girls. They quickly noticed the bright light and turned around. The Charmed Ones went of to the book.  
  
"The book.It's different," Phoebe says wondering what just happened.  
  
"Marguerite has been cleared of any wrong doing. It says that Carmichael and Marguerite were lovers and a demon named Marcus held them captives and made them do unspeakable things."  
  
"That is so kind, Leo," Marguerite kissed him on the cheek.  
  
Piper smiled at her husband. All her grief had gone away. She knew she'd always remember Prue, but was ready to move on. She wanted to be a family again.  
  
"I believe it's time for me to go," Marguerite told them.  
  
The Charmed Ones smiled, but were glad that she could help them get back to what they once were.  
  
"I'll never forget," Piper hugged Marguerite.  
  
The stepped away from the Book of Shadows began a spell to send her back.  
  
"Marguerite Halliwell Blood of our Blood We release you."  
  
Marguerite had disappeared from their lives as fast as she came into them.  
  
"I will miss her," Piper says with a tear.  
  
The book closed hard, and the girls turned around quickly. The triquatra glowed brightly once again.  
  
Piper smiled.  
  
"Does that mean we can be Charmed.Again?" Paige asked jokingly.  
  
Phoebe smirked, "Yeah, it does."  
  
"I'm ready," Piper says wrapping her arms around her sisters.  
  
What are we going to do with the potions?" Paige asked.  
  
"Good question," Phoebe said. "I guess we can always use them again."  
  
"There's something that I need to do," Piper said walking over to Leo, planted a passionate kiss on Leo that almost knocked him off his feet.  
  
It was only broken so that they could both breath.  
  
"Whoa," Leo breathed.  
  
Paige and Phoebe smiled and giggled like they were little kids, seeing their parents kiss.  
  
"I think we should go to bed.I'm beat," Paige nudged Phoebe as they pretended to yawn.  
  
"Yeah, you're right."  
  
The sisters slide on by without Piper and Leo even noticing.  
  
"I missed you," Piper says with a smile.  
  
"It's been far too long. I don't even want us to be separated again."  
  
"I love you."  
  
"I love you, too."  
  
Leo and Piper orbed out of the attic to their bedroom. Didn't come out until the next morning.  
  
*** Prue, Grams, and Patty were proud of The New Charmed Ones. They hoped that the sisters would never disconnect again.  
  
***  
  
Things were back to normal. The Charmed Ones continued to kick demon ass and the sisters were closer than ever.  
  
The End 


End file.
